If you live in a rough neighborhood or have to park the Camaro you’ve poured a fortune into in a shady part of town more often than you’d like to, take a look at this.
According to Ravelco, its Anti-Theft Device is a “keyed electrical interrupt” which disables the engine of a car when the multi-pin key is removed from the main plug. The wiring for that plug is protected by steel; every wire looks the same and they aren’t arranged in a pattern that reveals the pairing of them. Those wires flow into the engine compartment, where they’re hidden within the factory wiring or disguised to look like it. They’re all connected to various vital electrical parts of the car, such as the ignition, starter, and fuel injection system.
The main plug can be installed in one of numerous locations within the cabin of a vehicle. Ravelco says, “With more than 100,000 possible combinations for the Ravelco Anti-Theft Device, the specific physical signature of your vehicle’s plug cannot be guessed.”
The entire setup can be installed by mobile technicians in California, Nevada, or Utah. Outside of those states, the Ravelco Anti-Theft Device can be put in a vehicle by a local Ravelco distributor or dealer. Prices, which include installation, start at $449.95 for AAA members, college students, and military personnel who get a 10-percent discount off of the full price of $499.95 (commercial vehicles cost extra). No matter the price, the Ravelco Anti-Theft Device is covered by a lifetime warranty.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
